Tuesday, December 6, 2016

As if people living with diabetes don't have enough to do without scrambling for end of year RX refills, dr's appointments, etc. But we don't have a choice -we must. January 1,2017 isn't only New Year's Day - it's the day our yearly insurance deductibles start all over again. If you've met your 2016 deductible or not - get those refills, tests, and end of year appointments done, ASAP!And yes, it's a pain in the ass - but it's important!#####

Make sure your up to date on your pump, CGM, and tests strip supplies.

Schedule and all last minute appointments and Lab RX/test requests for December, before your 2017 deductible kicks in.

If you've met your deductible for 2016, December is time to order your new pump, if you're due. And once deductibles have been met and according to your plan, your RX medications may be reduced in price or on some plans, free.

I'm lucky - I have samples of unopened insulin sitting in my butter compartment, and courtesy of my Dr.

Those samples save me lots of out-of-pocket - having them makes a huge difference in the cash I can actually keep in my pocket – I am blessed that my doctor provides me with them and I know it.

FTR, I will be calling my pharmacy at the end of December to see if they can push another insulin RX through before the end of the year. - fingers crossed, but at least I have lots of back up.

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4 bottles of insulin - a two month supply in total, of a drug that literally keeps me alive and that would have cost me $955.13 in total, or $238 per bottle, WITH INSURANCE - had I not met my 2016 deductible thanks to wrist and hand surgery.

$238.78 a bottle for fast acting insulin (FTR, the name of the insulin is blacked out because my insurance charges me the same amount of money for Apidra, Lily, and Novalog,) insulins that are no longer on patent, but whose prices have gone up exponentially since 2002.

$5,730.78 a year out of pocket for insulin, (probably a bit more because my RX pricing goes down the closer I get to my deductible,) for my/our elixir of life.

I haven't even included test strips, or my pump supplies.

And I’m one of the lucky ones.

1. I have insurance

2. My Endo provides me with generous amounts of life saving samples of the drug (insulin,) that keep me alive, because he’s appalled at what my insurance charges me for insulin.

I am so grateful to and for him.

And I am so angry.

Angry that in the United States, insulin prices to go up for a multitude of reasons .

Here's what I told the Lilly reps when I met with them privately in October to discuss in cost of insulin.

SIDEBAR:Kudos to Lilly for reaching out and meeting with Advocates one on one.

They were the only insulin company to physically meet with me on the east coast and hear my wants and needs - And I appreciate that very much .

They also met with others in the DOC around the country, re: insulin pricing.

I told the folks from Lilly that I don’t want to demonize pharma or the companies that make insulin and other lifesaving drugs, because I don't.

I'm not against profit and I know what companies who make insulin have done for nonprofits and people with diabetes.

But things must change because people can’t afford the very drug(s) that keep them/their loved ones alive - with insurance or without.

And I DON'T CARE WHOSE FAULT IT WAS/IS - I WANT IT FIXED - And I will remember who led the charge to make things right. WE ALL WILL - every single one of us living with diabetes.

There’s enough blame for everyone to go around - and at this point, all parties involved need to stop pointing fingers and make things right.

Insulin Patient Assistance Programs help, but they don’t help enough.

Those programs don’t always provide the patient with enough insulin and many don’t qualify for the programs, let alone know these programs exist - see the link to the Diabetesmine link in the article below for all the reasons why.

Also, these programs take time and paperwork.

People with diabetes have enough damn paperwork.

We spend countless hours on the phone with our insurance companies, our pharmacies and our Doctors.

Nine times out of 10, we are the ones who catch costly mistakes made in our insurance billing - and it takes months to right those costly wrongs.

And when you need insulin, you need it ASAP and everyday - waiting isn’t an option.

Try explaining to your insurance company about's tile floors that shatter glass insulin bottles, or why you suddenly need more than your normal amount of insulin due to harmones, the flu,a stressful patch at work or within your family, etc.

They don't get it and they won't pay for it. They make you pay.

Click HERE for a breakdown of various insulin assistant program links/pros and cons.

A meeting took place in few weeks ago with Pharma and Advocates in D.C came together re: Insulin pricing.

Unfortunately, I didn't receive an invite to the meeting, but Diabetesmine wrote and excellent post on the meeting, and I encourage you to read it.

It’s comprehensive and does a beautiful and detailed job of explaining the big picture.

For those of us who didn’t attend the Insulin Roundtable meeting in D.C. and for those who did, there are many ways your voice can be heard.

For starters, pick up the phone and call your state lawmakers and share your story.

I’m scared about the future, my health insurance, the cost of being a person living with a chronic illness, and the ever growing division in our country.

I know we’re not supposed to talk politics in the DOC - but I can’t explain why its been hard for me to be present in the DOC without mentioning our our presidential election.

After the election many of us took a break from social media, television and the likes there of - including me - and as much as I hated to do it - I needed too.

My heart and my head hurt and still do. I’m mad at how the election turned out for many reasons -as a woman, as a person with diabetes, living with a pre-existing condition, as an American who has always voted as an Independent and never straight down party lines, who has always done research on what and who I was voting for.

I'm scared, angry, and frustrated that fake news is accepted as fact.

I'm scared of the hate I see others express for those who are different - and I want it to stop instead of it being encouraged.

I'm angry that opposing parties demonize one another to the point it's now damaged and fractured our country.

Instead of feeling empowered - the post election vibe made me feel powerless and scared - two words/feelings I despise.

As a Diabetes Advocate I’ve learned to use my diabetes voice and become empowered in the process - and now I must take those same DA super powers and develop my voice as a citizen of the United States - and I am. I’ve always been one to reach out to my Reps in Congress and the Senate - and I’ve tripled my efforts now - and I strongly encourage you to do the same!

Financially and health wise, 2017 was the year I was going to sign up for the the Affordable Care Act - and I’m not so sure if I should now.

My current health insurance rates up again in March and my deductible is high.

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us - I plan on taking the next week and researching ACA and will keep you posted on my findings.

Speaking of the ACA, you/we can register our support for the ACA .

Paul Ryan's office is conducting a survey hoping to show a popular mandate to repeal the ACA - but the survey can also be used to register support for the ACA.

It's automated and quick and here’s what you need to do:

1) Call (202) 225 -0600

2) Wait for awhile (1-2 min) for a recording to start

3) You will get prompted by the survey
4) Press 2 to participate
5) Press 1 to register your support for the ACA

It only takes a couple minutes and it’s a sure way for our collective voices to be heard!

I’m also mad that the presidential election in the United States had such a negative and powerful impact on the International Diabetes Awareness month - and yet I totally understand it, because I experienced it and talked with others in the DOC who felt the same way.

Another focus shifter occurred a few weeks ago (the day before election day,) when I scheduled surgery for my right wrist and pointer finger for December 13th.

My right wrist and finger really hurt to the point of having to ice both daily.

I’ve met my deductible for 2016 - now’s the time to get it done.

I’ve spent a lot of time (but not nearly enough,) prepping for the time I’ll be off and I wish it was over and done with.

I spent the past week traveling to be with my family for Thanksgiving.

For the first time ever, I drove solo and almost 700 miles each way, to spend time with my family - and it worked wonders for my heart and spirit.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I laughed until I cried... and I jammed with people who are just as "Kunikal -The_Musical" as I am!

So as much as I want a “do-over” for the entire month of November - diabetes and politically speaking - I'm working my ass off to pull myself up by my bootstraps and forge ahead with a vengeance - it's really hard and some days are better than others.

So thanks for your patience and understanding - it means the world to me.

Speaking of thanks, for as little as $5 you can send a beautiful and straight from the heart thank-you to a loved one/loved ones who makes your life with diabetes easier - and you get to support the Diabetes Hands Foundation in the process!

Monday, November 14, 2016

I apologize for the radio silence this past week - there was some stuff going on in my country, the United States - I’ll leave it at that.

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Today, Monday November 14th, 2016 is Word Diabetes Day - I’ve lived with T1 for 39 years, and I’ve known (and loved,) many people who didn’t survive the diabetes dark ages - or whose lives were severely shortened because of those diabetes dark days.

We are so damn lucky and blessed! I/we survived and are surrounded and inspired daily, by a global diabetes online community. A community that has our backs and keeps fighting for every single person living with diabetes on the planet.

November 14th is also the 125th birthday of Dr. Banting and I keeping thinking of how I wouldn’t be here (and neither would you, or someone you love,) if Dr. Banting & Company hadn’t discovered insulin.

And not just me - most of my immediate family wouldn't be here, because my late father was diagnosed with t1 in the early 1950s.

If insulin hadn’t been discovered and if dad hadn’t had access to it- my father would have died as a very young man - and my branch of the Kunik Family tree would have a been a small twig. Same goes for my dad's two younger sister's who were diagnosed in the 1940s - they wouldn't have survived, therefore my cousins never would have been born.

As long as I’ve been a member of the Diabetes Online Community - since 2007 to be exact. My blogaversary was on November 9th - lots of things were going down in the U.S. that day and I didn’t write about this year, but I digress.

Speaking of diabetes orgs, Kerri over at sixuntilme has a wonderful breakdown of ways you can help others living with diabetes this month and every month - and how others living with diabetes can help you - click HERE, now.We are on this together - now and forever!

Monday, October 31, 2016

39 years with t1 diabetes - I can’t believe it because it doesn’t seem real - or that long ago - but it was a life time ago.

39 years - I was so little - diabetes was so big, we became partners not by choice, but by pancreatic and autoimmune circumstances, and together we forged ahead and continue to tackle the world the best we can.

Growing up with diabetes DID NOT ruin my childhood.

There were challenging and tough times - but diabetes didn’t ruin my childhood - so don't you dare for a second think it did.

Growing up with diabetes was.... different.

There were good times and hard times. There were times I struggled with diabetes and times I thrived.

I grew up (at least in some ways,) and isn’t that the goal of parents - to see their children grow up?

Speaking of growing up, I wish my mom was here today - because this day is about her too - and my dad, but I know exactly what she’d say.

I would remind her that today was my Diaversary and she’d say something like: I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it’s been 39 years.

And she’d get this look in her eye that always made me sad - and she’d say that my sister Debbie had such a rough time handling her diabetes - and that’s what did her in.

And how she was so glad that I learned to "handle things."

And I would say “thanks ma,” and hug her tight.

And I’d silently think to myself all the times I didn’t/don’t handle my diabetes well - I would think back to the times when my sister was so sick and I was so angry at the world ... and diabetes... and Debbie.

But I would remind myself that like the lotus, I made it through the diabetes mud and muck, to grow and into someone who is still becoming.

And then I’d think of my Diabetes Online Community family and all that we’ve been through together.

And today - even though I’m feeling a bit melancholy, which is really effing weird for me, because usually I’m all about the diaversary celebration, I will find the joy in everything that life brings me - because I am indeed the girl who lived.

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What People Are Saying About Kelly Kunik's Diabetesalicious Humor

"I laughed so hard I puked all over my pump -Just kidding......

Kelly's intimate knowledge of living with diabetes makes her the perfect person to poke fun at all of our little eccentricities. If laughter really is the best medicine, then Kelly should be nominated for Sturgeon General."Gary Scheiner - Certified Diabetes Educator, Owner & Operator of Integrated Diabetes Services, Author of "You Can Control Diabetes" and "How to Think Like A Pancreas."Marx Brothers Fan for life, T1 for 20 years .

"Kelly Kunik performed her Diabetes Comedy Act at the Diabetes, Exercise, & Sports Association (DESA) National meeting in Colorado Springs in June of 2007. She had the room laughing all night! It was great to see the light side of Diabetes for once...."

Rick Philbin, Type 1, Board of Directors, DESA

"Kelly was very engaging with her humor and positive attitude in looking at life with Diabetes on a lighter side. Everyone in my Diabetes Support group lowered their glucose levels with laughter that evening!"

Bryony Crane, RD CDE

Virtua Diabetes and Nutrition Svs

"Dr. Kelly keeps you laughing.......Great bedside manner!"

Boston Charlie - T1 30 years

"As a Diabetes Educator, I'm always looking for new ways to help patients. Kelly Kunik offers a unique way of educating patients through laughter.There's a tremendous validation in Kelly's approach - Everybody thinks that no one once else has diabetes related issues, day & day out. Whether it getting your tubing caught on a door nob; acting out with a low blood sugar, or dealing with the same old questions. Silly or serious, Kelly's observations allow patients to feel better about themselves.When people feel good about themselves, they practice betterself management. IT'S ALL GOOD.We all had so much fun the night Kelly spoke to my Type 1 support group."